Strange Disease

After some prodding from a medical student in my lab I decided to get a physical to start off 2008 on the right foot. As it turns out I hadn't been to my doctor in about 5 years, which was when I had pneumonia. I'm a very active guy, so I didn't expect any real problems. I got my bloodwork back today and the results were good. Everything was in order including my cholesterol. However, I was informed that I had higher than normal levels of bilirubin (seen right). The diagnosis? I have a disorder known as Gilbert's Syndrome. Eeeeeek!

It's actually a lot less exciting than I initially thought. To begin, it's not pronounced "gill-bert." It's pronounced with a French accent after the doctor who discovered it (I knew I shouldn't have taken French class in high school). Basically the condition is a deficiency in glucuronyltransferase, the enzyme that helps break down bilirubin so that it can be excreted from your body. Individuals who have severe deficiencies will become jaundiced (yellow) because of the bilirubin buildup. For most people with Gilbert's (up to 5% of the population) there are no symptoms beyond the bloodwork and there are no health risks. So, the good news is I will be fine. Oh, and before I forget, it is hereditary which means that my parents are gonna have to answer for their bad genes. Unacceptable!